Habitat: A Practical Guide to Creating a Wildlife-Friendly Australian Garden

An inspirational and practical how-to guide for people keen to attract fauna into their garden: for their own enjoyment and as a contribution to the health and sustainability of the environment.

In a world where suburban nature is declining and diversity is shrinking, Habitat is a practical guide for those of us who want to encourage insects, reptiles, frogs, birds and animals into our garden. Not only for our own enjoyment, but as a direct contribution to the health and sustainability of our local environment and wildlife. AB Bishop shows how to design, plant and maintain fauna-friendly landscapes, stressing the importance of understanding how all aspects of the backyard ecosystem are interlinked in order to create a truly authentic and effective habitat. This information-packed resource includes a detailed plant directory; information on what plants (native and exotic) suit what creatures and why; and advice on how to factor in the shelter, nesting, food and water requirements of different types of wildlife. A practical projects chapter features step-by-step instructions for soil testing; making compost tea; building and planting a frog pond; and constructing nesting boxes and insect hotels.

Author description

AB Bishop is a horticulturist, conservationist, writer and habitat consultant. She coauthored The Australian Native Garden with Angus Stewart, which won the 2016-17 Horticultural Media Association of Australia book award. She assisted Angus with writing Creating an Australian Garden and was a researcher for ABC TV's Gardening Australia program for five years. She is a regular freelance writer for The Age newspaper and Gardening Australia magazine, and is a regular guest presenter (and occasional host) on Melbourne's 3CR Community Radio Gardening Program.

AB has given numerous talks to libraries, open gardens and plant groups, including the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne and Victoria, selling her book at each event. She was a guest speaker at the 2017 Bendigo Writers' Festival.

AB lives in an environmental living zone in Victoria (her garden is featured in The Australian Native Garden) where native fauna and flora is protected. She has a strong passion for Australian plants and believes that gardens should be built as much for supporting wildlife as for our own enjoyment. She works part-time at Kuranga Native Nursery, where she's in her element surrounded by thousands of plants and like-minded peers.